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- AI-powered tools: New models help forecast electricity access and measure energy equity.
- Free public access: GeoHub offers data to policymakers, empowering informed decisions on clean energy.
- Global impact: These tools cover 102 countries, with a focus on equitable energy transitions.
IBM and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched two innovative energy models aimed at accelerating a global energy transition. Hosted on UNDP’s GeoHub platform, these free, interactive models are designed to assist policymakers, communities, and the public in analyzing clean energy challenges using cutting-edge AI technology.
Powerful AI Tools for Clean Energy Access
Through IBM’s Sustainability Accelerator program, the two organizations developed the Electricity Access Forecasting model and the Clean Energy Equity Index, using AI and geospatial data to offer advanced insights. These tools aim to provide actionable information to governments, businesses, and communities to support a just energy transition.
Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM’s Chief Impact Officer, emphasized the transformative potential of these tools: “By making innovative models freely accessible to the public, we aim to empower leaders, organizations, and community members alike with the insights to make impactful energy decisions around the world.”
Electricity Access Forecasting This AI model forecasts electricity access for over 100 countries, using satellite data, population trends, and IBM’s advanced machine learning technology. By offering future-looking projections, the tool gives decision-makers a powerful edge over static current-day estimates.
Clean Energy Equity Index
Developed in collaboration with Stony Brook University, this tool combines geospatial analytics with social, economic, and environmental data to assess clean energy opportunities through an equity lens. Policymakers can prioritize the most pressing areas for clean energy development.
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Laurel Patterson, Head of the UNDP SDG Integration Team, highlighted the collaboration’s impact: “The solutions we’ve co-created provide a credible evidence base to help countries make meaningful and practical progress towards a just energy transition.”
These new models are now accessible via UNDP’s GeoHub, offering a wealth of clean energy data to guide critical decisions in countries across Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and beyond.